Gerald Laird added a bases-loaded double, Rick Porcello (10-12) pitched shutout ball into the sixth inning and Jhonny Peralta went deep off Bruce Chen (11-14) to help Detroit reach the postseason in consecutive years for the first time since 1934-35.

"We wanted to win this game. That was our goal, to win this one," Cabrera said. "We did it."

The Tigers (87-73) will have the worst record among AL division champions, which means they'll open the playoffs Saturday at home against the division winner with the second-best mark.

"It was a rocky road, it was a tough season, but in this business, you have to be able to take some hits," manager Jim Leyland said.

Now with Cabrera (.325, 44 HRs, 137 RBIs) closing in on a Triple Crown and Justin Verlander (17-8, 2.64 ERA) in contention for a second straight Cy Young Award, Detroit, winners of seven of eight, is the majors' hottest team.

Athletics 4, Rangers 3: Coco Crisp's latest clutch hit helped put Oakland back in the playoffs for the first time in six years. Crisp had a go-ahead RBI double in the fifth as Oakland (92-68) pulled within one game of Texas (93-67) in the AL West race with two to go and moved into a tie with Baltimore for the American League's top wild card.

Phillies 2, Nationals 0:Despite the loss to Philadelphia, host Washington won the NL East title, its first division title since moving from Montreal in 2005, because second-place Atlanta lost at Pittsburgh. Washington, in first since May 22, leads Atlanta by three games with two to play.

Pirates 2, Braves 1: Atlanta will be the top NL wild-card team and host the wild-card game Friday after its NL East title hopes were dashed by host Pittsburgh.

Cardinals 4, Reds 2: Jaime Garcia homered off Bronson Arroyo and pitched into the seventh inning, helping host St. Louis clinch a tie for the second NL wild card and spoil Dusty Baker's return from a mini-stroke. The defending World Series champions have won 11 of 14. The Reds (96-64) are tied with the Nationals for the best record in the NL with two games to go, and must finish ahead of Washington to get home-field advantage throughout the postseason after losing the season series.

Dodgers 3, Giants 2: Elian Herrera singled in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Dodgers and keep their postseason hopes alive. The Dodgers' sixth consecutive victory tied a season high and kept them two games behind St. Louis for the second NL wild card. -- AP